Within a workplace it is the duty of an employer to ensure the safety of a work force. Your employer needs to ensure that regular risk assessments are carried out and if any problems are found they need to be taken care of straight away.
The UK Health and Safety Executive estimate that workplace accidents cost British business up to £9 billion per year and one in 11 employees are injured or made ill by their work activity everyday. In an average year 1000 people are killed in workplaces. Also over 25,000 people are forced to give up work as a result of work related illness or injury.
If an accident does sadly happen in the workplace there are certain steps that need to be taken after it. You should always report the accident in your workplaces accident book and, depending on the severity of the accident your employer may have to report the accident to the Health and Safety Executive. If any of the following occurs it must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE):
• A death in the workplace
• Major injury within the workplace
• Over three day injury, which is when an employee has to take more than three days off work due to an injury. Over three day injuries must be reported within ten days of them happening
• Work related disease
• Dangerous occurrences
• A member of the public having to be taken directly to hospital
If an accident does occur in the workplace it is highly important that the business investigates how the accident happened and under what circumstances it took place. This is important so that preventative measures can be put in place to reduce the risk of the accident happening again.
If you have been involved in an accident at work and you think your employer is at fault then you may wish to make a claim for compensation. Any claims that you make must be made within three years of the date of the accident and you will need to enlist the help of a lawyer who will work on your behalf to ensure that your claim becomes a success.
If you are hoping to put in a claim for compensation after an accident that wasn’t your fault then it is important that you keep a record of everything that not only happened on the day of the accident but also what has happened since the accident. Details such as the names and addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses, a diary of your symptoms and medical treatment as well as detailed notes of what happened on the day of your accident; all of these will benefit you with your claim for compensation.
For more information about claiming for compensation after an accident that wasn’t your fault get in touch with a lawyer today and start your claim straight away.
Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialist in all aspects of Work Related Accidents.
